Every now and then I think it’s a good idea to watch a scary movie. I get all excited about getting spooked. I have to find just the right movie that promises thrills without being over the top with gore or satanic stuff. Last night I watched a good one with my brother and it seems I’m paying for it this morning. My neck is sore from sitting tense for 2 hours and I have a headache. After watching the majority of the movie from the tiniest slits between my fingers, I lied in bed reliving the plot in my head for a full 45 minutes before finally drifting of to sleep.
What a wiener!
It made me wonder this morning why exactly I “like” doing that to myself? What is it about us that seeks those extreme feelings? Makes us climb onto that roller coaster or settle in to hear a good ghost story? Do we LIKE to be afraid?
I found this article this morning on webMD that was VERY interesting. Disturbing actually. It seems some people have become so invested in scaring themselves that they will pay absurd amounts of money to have someone fake kidnap them. Check it out: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/exploring-thrill-seeking-personalities?page=3
I don’t need to dig that deep to assume that the allure of scary movies or even just movies in general is truly just an escape. Exposing ourselves to feelings and sensations that aren’t real or a part of our real life seems fun without the risk. We feel relaxed in the fact that it’s not real…like a safety net beneath us allowing us to push the limits. But the sad thing is, this illusion of safety that we have as Americans seems to be chipped away at daily. The reality of the evening news seems to be full of fresh horrors on a regular basis. People hurting each other, or getting hurt by accidents or natural disasters. No wonder we want to escape for a couple hours. Though, maybe next time I’ll choose to escape with something a little more light and fluffy.
